Method of shaping and truing wire wheels



H. A. HOUSE, JR.

METHOD OF SHAPING AND TRUING WIRE WHEELS.

APPLICAHON HLED MAILZZ. 19H].

Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

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H. A. HOUSE, JR. A METHOD OF SHAPING AND TRUING'WIRE WHE ELS- APPLI CAHON FILED MAR. 22 HHH Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

H. A. HOUSE, JR

METHUD UF SHAPING AND TRUING WIRE WHEELS.

APHLICAHON 5mm MAR 22. aura.

1 ,399,770, Patented Dec. 13, A 1921.

4 SHETSSHEET 3.

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H. A. HOUSE, JR.

METHOD OF SHAP'NG AND mums WIRE WHEELS.

APILILLAIION HLLD MAR. 22. I918 1,399,770. Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

yin m UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY A. HOUSE. 33., 0F BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR' TO WIRE WHEEL CORPO- RATION OF AMERICA} A CORPORATIO OF NEW YORK.

METHOD OF SBLAPING ANILTEUING WIRE WHEELS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patent-ed Dec. 13,1921.

Original application filed October 31, 1916, Serial No. 128,802. Divided and this application filed March 22, 1918'. Serial Ho. 224,069.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY AQHOUsE, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residin at 42 F ordham Drive, Buffalo, New lork, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Methods of Slia'pin' and Truing Wire \Vheels; and I do here ydeclare the following to be a full, clear. and exact-descri )tion of the said invention, such as will ena le others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use'the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to figures of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

Like figures of reference refer to like parts.

This invention relates to methods of building and truin wire wheels into shape.

One object of this invention is to provide a practical method of building the component parts of a wire wheel into a well tensioned, balanced and properly shaped wire wheel.

Another object of this invention is to provide a method of shaping and truin a wire wheel, which shall expedite the worii of finishing such wheels and reduce the cost of manufacturing well balanced and properly shaped wheels.

Another object is to so order the sequence of steps of operation, as to get the desired results in the most expeditions manner.

A further object is to have among the steps of operation. one. step which will result in a final balancing of the groups or sets of spokes. automatically, u )on releasing the wheel, in its finished condition. from its truing stand.

The method concerned with this invention can be put into operation upon any suitable mechanism. devised for the purpose of facilitating, individually or in sequence, the various steps involved in the said method. However. in carrying out my method of shaping. truing and tensioning wire wheels. I prc for to employ the wire whcel truing stand, which is the subject of my (o pending application, Number 128.802. filed October 31, 1916. now Patent Number 1.357.056. dated Oct. :26. 1920. and of which this application is a division. and which is hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanyiu;- drawings. The application of the said method is explained and what I claim is set forth.

In the drawings Figure 1, is an elevation, partly in section,- of a ,truing' stand embodying my invention, showing a'wheel supported thereon.

F i 2, is a perspective view of the said stand omitting the top, and showing the foot levers for operating the centering devices and the central hub' support.

Fig. 3. is a top plan of said stand showing the plurality of centerin devices, and a. wire wheel in position to fie operated upon.

Fig. 4, is an enlarged sectional elevation of the hub and hub support shown in Fig. 1.-

Fig. 5. shows a wheel of the double crossed spoke lacino type positioned upon the head of the stand Fig. 6 Shows a wheel of the. triple spoke lac-in" type positioned upon the head of the stant Fig. 7. shows a wheel of the double crossed spoke lacing type positioned upon the head of the stand.

Fig. 8. shows a wheel of the triple crossed spoke lacing type positioned upon the head of the stand.

Referring to the drawings, the column 1 is rotatably mounted upon the base 2, by means of the hall-bearing 3. Fastened to the upper part. of the column 1. is the top 4. having radial arms 5. connected by the ring 6. Journaled in the outer end of each arm 5. and fulcrumed thereto. is the lever T, to the upper end of which is transversely threaded the pin 8, secured by the lock nuts 9. Pivoted at the lower end of each lever 7, is a link 10. each of which is journaled atone of the points 11, to a sleeve 12, which is in sliding engagement with the column 1. Also pivoted to opposite sides of the sleeve 12. at the point- 13, are links 14. to the lower end of each of which is pivoted a foot lever 15, which is fulcrumed on the pin 16. in the outer end of the arm 1?. the arm 17 being integral with the column 1. Stop-screws 18. 18. passing through lugs 19. [9 integral with the column 1. serve to limit the downward passage of the sleeve 12. Springs 20 connected to the arms 5 and levers T normally hold the parts ill the full line position shown in Fig. 1.

Thc dotted position of the parts 7, 8, 10, 12. 2 and 15. in Fig. 1 is taken when the foot lever 15 has been pressed down, so that the sleeve 12 strikes the stop-screws 18. In-

that position the links 10 are inclined slightly downward toward the axis of the 5 sleeve 12. The outer pivot centers of the links 10, being in a horizontal plane above that passing through the inner pivot centers of these links 10, a sli htly downward force is exerted upon the sieve 12. through the springs 20; whereby the sleeve 12 is held against the stopscrews 18 by a force independent of the weight of the parts. In engagement with the ring 6, are a plurality of individual supports 21, 21, for the wheel rim 26 eachof which can be adjustably fixed at a radial distance from the axis of the column 1, according as the pin 22 is positioned in any one of the holes, 23, 24, 25.

In Fig. 3 are shown six supports 21 each curved like tluring 6. Extending through the center of the column 1, is a post 27, having mounted at its upper end a hub sup port 28, adapted to concentrically position a hub shell 29 with respect to the axis of 25 the post 27. The hub support 28 is held onto the upper end of the post 27, by means of the nut 30, and the washer 31. In threaded engagement with the hub support, 28 is the nut 32 having a flange 33, and a smaller flange 34. The smaller flange 34,

is engaged by the segments 35 of a splitring, inwardly pressed by a spiral spring 36. The inner ends of the segments 35 engage the upper conical end of the hub support 3 28, and the interior conical surface of the hubshell 29, thus centering the hub shell 29 at its upper end upon the hub support 28. Fig. 4 shows these parts on an enlarged scale. The hub shell, support and holding .40 nut device are similar to those shown in my co-pendiug applicatiom filed February 10th, 1916, hearing the Serial Number 77,441. The lower part of the hub shell 29 surrounds and is centered by the flange 37, of the hub 3 support 28. Connecting the rim 26 with the upper part of the hub shell 29, is the set not spokes 38, upwardly inclined toward the hub shell 29. The lower part of the hub .shell 29 is connected with the rim 26, by the set of spokes 39, which are downwardly inclined toward the axis of he hub shell 29. The post 27 is supported upon a spring 41), in the bottom end of column 1. Passing transversely through the post 27, and the column 1. is a rross'heaiu 41, to the outer ends of which are pivoted links 42. To the lower ends of the links -12 pivoted the foot lever 42 fulcrunied at 44 on the. column 1 and having an integral arm 43. The stoppin l: is adiuslahly positioned in the arm iii lo engage a stop it upon the column I The upward nioieiuent (it [he post 21 is limited by th engagem nt of the ryrossl lilii 1i \Ylili th st p pins 47. on the. lugs i int gral W1lli the lumn 1 The dotted position. 01 the hub-shell 29, spokes 38, 39, foot lever 43, and links 42, is that taken by these parts, when the foot lever 43 is forced downward to bring the stop-pins 45 against the stops 46.

This method of truing wheels is applicable to various types of offset or asymmetrical wlie ls, certain of which are shown in the drawings. In Fig. 5 is shown a double crossed spoke type which like the type shown in Fig. 1 has two sets of spokes referred to in this figure as A and B. This type is laced by securing the spokes A to the inner end of the hub and the outer edge of the rim and the spokes B to the outer end of the hub and the inner edge of the rim.

Figs. 6 and 8 show triple spoke laced wheels having three sets of spokes A, B and C. In both wheels the spokes A extend from the inner end of the hub to the outer edge of the rim and the spokes A extend from the inner end of the hub to the inner edge of the rim. The spokes B of the type shown in Fig. 6 extend from the outer end of the hub to the outer edge of the rim While in the type shown in Fig. 8, commonly known as the triple crossed spoke type, the spokes B extend from the outer end of the hub to the inner edge of the rim.

Fig. 7 shows a quadruple crossed spoke lacing type which might be considered as a combination of the types shown in Figs. 6 and 8 and which differs from the type shown in Fig. 6 by the addition of spokes l) which extend from the outer end of the hub to the inner edge of the rim.

The method of this invention will now he described with reference to the device here shown.

A loosely assembled wheel is positioned on top 4 with the hub shell 29, resting upon the hub support 28 and the rim 26 resting upon the pluralityof supports 21,'which have been previously ad uSted radially to catch the shoulder of the rim,and relieve the chime 26 from supporting contact with the top. The nut 32 is screwed down until the ring segments 35 moving outward, and downward, engage the inner conical upper end of the hub shell 29, fixing the said hub shell upon 11 its support 28. The post 27 is normally forced upward by the spring 40, causing the crossbeam 41 to engage the stop pins 47, which limit the upward posi' tion of the post 27, and hub support 28; 12 this position is set at any predetermined point by adjusting the pins -17 on the lugs 48. The foot lever 15, is next forcibly depressed pulling down the sleeve 12, and causing the pins to press inward '35 and downward against th rim 2t securing the same in position. mn enlrir to the axis of the post 27, and at th sam tlliil'. vans inc it to assume. a rir 'ular f rm While in lhis position, the levers are uutoiuati- 1150 tion.

cally locked by the position of the links 10, aseexplained above. The downward movem nt of the sleeve 12 is limited by the adjustable stop pins 18, passing through the lugs 19, the depressed position of the foot lever 15 being marked 15.

As the parts are held in this position the spokes 39 are first tensioned, preferably equally, and then the foot lever 43. is depressed to the position 43: lowering the hub 29 relative to the rim 26 and increasing the tension on the spokes 39. In this operation the axes of the links 42, ass beyond the pivot center 44, thereby locliing the post 27 in its downward position; the downward pbsition of the foot lever 43 is adjust-ably fixed by 'the stop screw 45, which engages the stop.46. The spokes 38 are now equally tensioned and then the foot lever 43 is released, allowing the spokes 39 to partially relax, at the same time increasing the strain upon the spokes 38, and permitting the hub shell 29 to assume a certain position relative to the plane of the rim 26. The foot lever 15 is next released and the nut 32 is unscrewed the flange 34 engaging and lifting the ring segments 35 along the conical end of the support 28 until the segments collapse inward and free the hub shell 29 from the hub support 28, so that the finished wheel can be removedfrom the stand.

This stand is adapted for the truing and tensioning wheels, having diflerent kinds of spoke lacing, wherein one set is inclined inward towardthe inside of the wheel, or is located in aradial plane per endicular to the axis, and one or more at ier sets completes the wheel. The spokes connected to the inner end of the hub (such as those connected with the hub 29, marked 39) are either horizontal or inclined downward toward the axis of the wheel, when the wheel is placed in the position shown in the figures. The stand can be turned to any desired position in front of the operator by revolving it on its ball bearing 3.

The operation above set out for the apparatus herein illustrated, indicates. in a measure, the method involved in this applica- But the said method may be more particularly described as follows :-A loosely assembled wire wheel, having all the spokes in their relative positions, loosely engaging a hub and a rim, is mounted upon an ap aratus for holding the same, such as t at above described, but of course any other suitable apparatus may be used. It is immaterial as to what type of lacing of spokes is in the wheel to be tensioned and trued. The

important part of this method pertains to forcible straining of a group of spokes in the wheel, which makes a considerable angle with the axis of the hub.

We may select a group of spokes leading from a particular zone on the hub, to various points on the rim. This group of spokes may be composed of one or more sets. classified according to the angle which they make with the hub, with respect to its axis. Such a group of spokes is uniformly tensioned by sets, after previously fixing the hub and rim centrally. as to each other. and axially, relatively. The hub is next moved axially, in a direction to increase the tension in all the spokes of this group. after which the remaining groups of spokes are uniformly tensioned, and the hub is next released from its forced position to freely move to such a position, relative to the rim, as will result in a balancing of the stresses to the various groups of spokes. after which the wheel is released from the t-ruing apparatus.

It is immaterial as to whether we select for this method of tensioning. a group of spokes leading from a zone of spoke holes. at the vehicle end of the hub. or at the other end of the hub. However, I prefer to ten sion and force that group of spokes first. which leads from a zone at the vehicle end of the hub, such as has been described in connection with the operation of the device herein shown. Should that group of spokes be selected for first tensioning and forcing. which leads from that end of the hub. opposite to the vehicle end thereof then after positioning and centralizing the rim on such a device as is illustrated in Fig. 1. extra means must be provided for anchoring the rim thereon, in order to hold to the same, while the hub is forced axially, in a direction. away from the vehicle end of the huh. I mention this step as an alternative to the one described in connection with the operation of the device herein shown. Of course some other changes would have to be made in the mechanism of said device. to adapt the same to a counter movement of the post 27 for the purposes of this alternative step in the method.

I have referred above to of spokes in a group, by sets. the spokes in a given set, I do so individually, but by pairs consecutively: that is, I select two spokes for a pair, which leads in the same eneral direction from the hub to the rim, oth starting at a given zone of holes in the hub and leading at the same angle from the periphery of the hub, so as to avoid turning of the hub with respect to the rim. Inasmuch as the hub is axially mounted on the device to turn thereon, in response to the stresses in the spokes, so as to equalize the individual stresses in a given pair of spokes, I next proceed to tighten the other spokes in the set consecutively by pairs, but balancing each air, as I did the first pair. Other sets in this group of spokes are similarly tensioned, one set at a time, and a similar treatment is given the spokes in the remaining group, intervening, of

course with the step of forcefully putting extra tension into the first group tightened and holding such tension before tensioning the remaining group of spokes by pairs and sets. W'hile this method has been described in connection with thetruing device shown it is obvious that modifications thereof may be applied to any type of wire spoke wheel to be trued and tensioned without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the annexed claims.

Hence I claim:

1. The method of truing and tensioning a wire wheel having a hub, a rim and a plurality of spokes connecting said hub and rim comprising the following steps; centering the luib and rim relative to each other, tightening one set of spokes, shifting the hub axially relative to the rim and tighten ing the remaining spokes.

2. The method of truing and tensioning a wire wheel having a hub, a rim and a plurality of spokes connecting said hub and rim comprising the following steps; centerin the hub and rim relative to each other, tightening one set of spokes, shifting the relative positions of said hub and rim to increase the tension on said tightened spokes and tightening the remaining spokes.

3. The method of truing and tensioning a wire wheel having a hub, a rim and a plurality of spokes connecting said hub and rim comprising the following steps; centering the hub and rim members relatively to each other, tightening one set of spokes, shifting one of said members axially relative to the other member to increase the tension on said tightened spokes, tightening the remaining spokes and permitting the shifted member to move axially and reduce the tension on the first tightened set of spokes.

4. The method of truing and tensioning a wire wheel, which consists infirst assembling the spokes with the rim and the hub, centering said hub with respect to said rim,

one edge of said rim, of relatively adjust ing and fixing said rim and said hub in position, of uniformly tightening that set of spokes, leading from the hub on the vehicle side of the wheel, to thevehicle side of the rim, of ti htening this set of spokes in pairs, positione symmetrically about a radius, passing through their points of intersection, of continuing to tighten this set of spokes by consecutive pairs until the full set is tightened and uniformly tensioned, of next forcibly moving said hub axially in the direction of the vehicle side of said wheel, of holding said hub in this position, while tensioning uniformly the spokes in the remaining sets, and of releasing said hub from its forced position relative to said rim.

6. The method of truing and tensionin a wire wheel, having a hub,a rim and a p urality of spokes, connecting said hub and rim, which consists in assembling the spokes with the rim and the hub, centerin said hub with respect to said rim, positioning and fixing it in definite axial relation thereto, tightening the spokes in one group, then forci ly moving said hub axially, in a direction to increase the tension in the spokes of the selected group, holding said hub in this forced relation, tightening the remaining spokes and releasing the completed wheel.

, HENRY A. HOUSE, JR. 

